Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the bacterial communities of biting midges and ticks collected from three sites in the Poyang Lake area,namely,Qunlu Practice Base,Peach Blossom Garden,and Huangtong Animal Husbandry,and whether vectors carry any bacterial pathogens that may cause diseases to humans,to provide scientific basis for prospective pathogen discovery and disease prevention and control. Methods Using a metataxonomics approach in concert with full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing and operational phylogenetic unit(OPU)analysis,we characterized the species-level microbial community structure of two important vector species,biting midges and ticks,including 33 arthropod samples comprising 3,885 individuals,collected around Poyang Lake. Results A total of 662 OPUs were classified in biting midges,including 195 known species and 373 potentially new species,and 618 OPUs were classified in ticks,including 217 known species and 326 potentially new species.Surprisingly,OPUs with potentially pathogenicity were detected in both arthropod vectors,with 66 known species of biting midges reported to carry potential pathogens,including Asaia lannensis and Rickettsia bellii,compared to 50 in ticks,such as Acinetobacter lwoffii and Staphylococcus sciuri.We found that Proteobacteria was the most dominant group in both midges and ticks.Furthermore,the outcomes demonstrated that the microbiota of midges and ticks tend to be governed by a few highly abundant bacteria.Pantoea sp7 was predominant in biting midges,while Coxiella sp1 was enriched in ticks.Meanwhile,Coxiella spp.,which may be essential for the survival of Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann,were detected in all tick samples.The identification of dominant species and pathogens of biting midges and ticks in this study serves to broaden our knowledge associated to microbes of arthropod vectors. Conclusion Biting midges and ticks carry large numbers of known and potentially novel bacteria,and carry a wide range of potentially pathogenic bacteria,which may pose a risk of infection to humans and animals.The microbial communities of midges and ticks tend to be dominated by a few highly abundant bacteria.

Objective To investigate the hemodynamic effects of enhanced external counterpulsation(EECP)on cerebral arteries with different stenoses.Methods Zero-dimensional/three-dimensional multiscale hemodynamic models of cerebral arteries with different stenoses were constructed.Numerical simulations of the EECP hemodynamics were performed under different counterpulsation modes to quantify several hemodynamic indicators of the cerebral arteries.Among them,the mean time-averaged wall shear stress(TAWSS)downstream of the stenosis was in the range of 4-7 Pa,a low percentage of TAWSS risk area,and high narrow branch flow were considered to inhibit the development of atherosclerosis and create a good hemodynamic environment.Results For cerebral arteries with 50%,60%,70%,and 80%stenosis,the hemodynamic environment was optimal in counterpulsation mode when the moment of cuff deflation was 0.5,0.6,0.7,and 0.7 s within the cardiac cycle.Conclusions For 50%stenotic cerebral arteries,the counterpulsation mode with a deflation moment of 0.5 s should be selected.For 60%stenotic cerebral arteries,the counterpulsation mode with a deflation moment of 0.6 s should be selected.For 70%or 80%stenotic cerebral arteries,the counterpulsation mode with a deflation moment of 0.7 s should be selected.As stenosis of the cerebral arteries increases,the pressure duration should be prolonged.This study provides a theoretical reference for the EECP treatment strategy for patients with ischemic stroke with different stenoses.

As a member of class I histone deacetylase (HDACs), HDAC8 is an important anticancer drug target. Based on our previously developed pharmacophore model for the HDAC8 inhibitor, we designed and synthesized 13 quinoline acid derivatives as new HDAC8 inhibitors. Among them, the compound SDFZ-E2 and SDFZ-E3 exhibited good HDAC8 inhibitory activities and isoform selectivity. In cell experiments, the target compounds SDFZ-E2 and SDFZ-E3 showed better antiproliferation activities than the known HDAC8 selective inhibitor PCI-34051. In addition, the proposed binding mode of SDFZ-E2 was investigated using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. This work is a new attempt to develop HDAC8 selective inhibitor using quinoline as the scaffold, and the active compounds could serve as lead compounds for further structural optimization.

BACKGROUND:Percutaneous vertebroplasty has become the main treatment method for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures due to its advantages of convenient operation and low trauma.However,the optimal bone cement-vertebral volume ratio has not been determined. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of bone cement-vertebral volume ratio on percutaneous vertebroplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. METHODS:The clinical data of 100 patients with single-stage osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures admitted to Xinjiang Bazhou People's Hospital from July 2019 to July 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.All patients received percutaneous vertebroplasty.According to the bone cement-vertebral volume ratio,they were divided into the low volume group(15%≤ratio≤20%)and the high volume group(20%0.05).The vertebral anterior margin height in the low volume group was lower than that in the high volume group at 3 days and 1 year after surgery(P<0.05).The Cobb angle of the injured vertebrae in the low volume group was higher than that in the high volume group at 3 days and 1 year after surgery(P<0.05).(2)There were 10 H-type and 40 O-type bone cement distributions in the low volume group.There were 36 H-type and 14 O-type bone cement distributions in the high volume group,and there was no significant difference in bone cement distributions between the two groups(P<0.05).The bone cement leakage rate in the high volume group and low volume group was 10%and 6%,respectively.(3)It is indicated that both low and high bone cement-vertebral volume ratios can improve postoperative pain and functional dysfunction,but high bone cement-vertebral volume ratio can improve the morphological recovery of injured vertebral,which may be related to the fact that the distribution of bone cement in this group is more H-type.

Objective:To investigate the effect of integrin αvβ6 on lipid metabolism in colon cancer cells;to identify potential metabolic biomarkers for the diagnosis of colon cancer.Meth-ods:Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS)-based lipidomic analysis was utilized to investigate the effects of αvβ6 on the changes in SW480 metabolism in colon cancer cell lines.The partial least squares discriminant analysis model showed different lipid profiles in Integrin αvβ6 over-expressed or low-expressed SW480.Results:After Integrin αvβ6 overexpression,a total of 252 lipids showed significant differences in SW480 cells,of which 138 showed up-regulation and 114 showed down-regulation.Moreover,the Methyl phosphatidylcholine(MePC),phosphatidyl-choline(PC),phosphatidylethanolamine(PE)and triglycerides(TG)were also found to have good diagnostic potential in αvβ6 overexpressing cancer cells.Conclusion:Integrin αvβ6 may promote cancer cell invasivness and metastasis by regulating pathways of dysregulated lipid metabolism.These results may provide potential clues to the molecular mechanisms of Integrin αvβ6 on colon cancer cells.

Objective To observe the value of contrast-enhanced CT radiomics combined with clinical and hematology indicators for predicting lymph node(LN)metastasis(LNM)of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).Methods Totally 218 ESCC patients were retrospectively enrolled.Stage pN1 and pN2 were clustering as LNM(n=90),while stage pN0 were taken as non-LNM(n=128).The patients were divided into training set(n=174)and test set(n=44)at the ratio of 8∶2.In training set,clinical and LN imaging features which could be used to independently judge LNM were screened and a clinical-imaging model was constructed.The hematological indicators that might be associated with ESCC LNM were screened,and a hematological model was constructed.Radiomics features in LN ROI and ESCC volume of interest(VOI)were extracted based on venous-phase contrast-enhanced CT images,and those might be associated with LNM were screened,and a radiomics model was constructed.Finally a combined model was constructed based on all the above features.The efficacy of each model for diagnosing LNM was evaluated with the area under the curve(AUC)of receiver operating characteristic curves,and the clinical net benefit was evaluated using decision curve analysis(DCA).Results Body mass index(BMI)and internal necrosis of target LN were both independent judging factors for ESCC LNM(both P＜0.05),and AUC of clinical-imaging model for diagnosing LNM in training and test sets was 0.747 and 0.687,respectively.Seven hematological indicators were included in hematological model,and AUC in training and test sets was 0.623 and 0.583,respectively.Ten LN radiomics features and 15 ESCC radiomics features were included in radiomics model,and AUC in training and test sets was 0.769 and 0.745,respectively.AUC of the combined model for diagnosing LNM in training and test sets was 0.822 and 0.739,respectively,better than other models in training set(all P＜0.05),but no significantly different in test set(all P＞0.05).DCA showed that combined model had higher net gain than the other models in 0.55-0.80 threshold probability interval.Conclusion Combined model based on venous-phase contrast-enhanced CT radiomics and clinical and hematology indicators could relatively effectively evaluate ESCC LNM,which might bring some promotions in clinical benefit.

Background::While type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is considered a putative causal risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD), the intrinsic link underlying T2DM and CAD is not fully understood. We aimed to highlight the importance of integrated care targeting both diseases by investigating the phenotypic and genetic relationships between T2DM and CAD.Methods::We evaluated phenotypic associations using data from the United Kingdom Biobank ( N = 472,050). We investigated genetic relationships by leveraging genomic data conducted in European ancestry for T2DM, with and without adjustment for body mass index (BMI) (T2DM: Ncase/ Ncontrol = 74,124/824,006; T2DM adjusted for BMI [T2DM adjBMI]: Ncase/ Ncontrol = 50,409/523,897) and for CAD ( Ncase/ Ncontrol = 181,522/984,168). We performed additional analyses using genomic data conducted in multiancestry individuals for T2DM ( Ncase/ Ncontrol = 180,834/1,159,055). Results::Observational analysis suggested a bidirectional relationship between T2DM and CAD (T2DM→CAD: hazard ratio [HR] = 2.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.01–2.24; CAD→T2DM: HR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.63–1.81). A positive overall genetic correlation between T2DM and CAD was observed ( rg = 0.39, P = 1.43 × 10 -75), which was largely independent of BMI (T2DM adjBMI–CAD: rg = 0.31, P = 1.20 × 10 –36). This was corroborated by six local signals, among which 9p21.3 showed the strongest genetic correlation. Cross-trait meta-analysis replicated 101 previously reported loci and discovered six novel pleiotropic loci. Mendelian randomization analysis supported a bidirectional causal relationship (T2DM→CAD: odds ratio [OR] = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.11-1.16; CAD→T2DM: OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.07-1.18), which was confirmed in multiancestry individuals (T2DM→CAD: OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.10-1.16; CAD→T2DM: OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.04-1.13). This bidirectional relationship was significantly mediated by systolic blood pressure and intake of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, with mediation proportions of 54.1% (95% CI: 24.9-83.4%) and 90.4% (95% CI: 29.3-151.5%), respectively. Conclusion::Our observational and genetic analyses demonstrated an intrinsic bidirectional relationship between T2DM and CAD and clarified the biological mechanisms underlying this relationship.

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effect of Ningmitai Capsules(NMT)on chronic prostatitis/chronic pel-vic pain syndrome(CP/CPPS)and its action mechanism.Methods:We equally randomized fifteen 6-8 weeks old male Wistar rats into a sham operation,a model control and an NMT group,and established a CP/CPPS model in the rats by intra-prostatic injection of complete Freund adjuvant(CFA).We treated the rats in the sham operation and model control groups by injection of aseptic phosphate buffer saline(PBS)and 50 μl complete Freund adjuvant(CFA),respectively,into the ventral lobe of the prostate followed by gavage with purified water from the second day after surgery,and those in the NMT group with 50 μl CFA injected into the ventral lobe of the prostate followed by gavage with 3 ml NMT suspension at 400 mg/kg/d from the second day after surgery.After 4 weeks of treatment,we killed the animals and collected the serum and prostatic tissue samples for evaluation of the severity of prostatitis by histopathological grading of chronic prostatitis through HE staining,determination of the mRNA expressions of inflammatory factors by real-time quantita-tive PCR,measurement of the activities of related antioxidant enzymes with testing kits,and detection of the expressions of the related targets in the signaling pathways by Western blot.Results:Histopathological examination revealed different degrees of inflammatory cell infiltration in the mesenchyme,inflammatory vacuoles,irregularly shaped acini in the model control group,with a significantly higher inflammation score than in the sham operation group(P＜0.05),and reduced infiltrating lymphocytes,inflammatory vacuoles and inflammation score in the NMT group compared with those in the model controls(P＜0.05).Compared with the rats in the sham operation group,the model controls showed remarkably up-regulated expressions of IL-1 β,IL-6,IL-10,IL-17A,TNF-α and IFN-γ(P＜0.05),decreased contents of superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT)and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px)(P＜0.05),and increased content of malondialdehyde(MDA)(P＜0.05).Compared with the model controls,the rats treated with NMT exhibited markedly reduced expressions of IL-1β,IL-6,IL-10,IL-17A,TNF-α and IFN-γ(P＜0.05),increased contents of SOD,CAT and GSH-Px(P＜0.05),decreased content of MDA(P＜0.05),up-regulated expressions of nuclear factor red 2-related factor 2(n-Nrf2)and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)(P＜0.05),and down-regulated expression of NF-κB P-P65(P＜0.05).Conclusion:NMT plays anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation roles in the pathogenesis of CP/CPPS,possibly by activation of Nrf2 and suppression of NF-κB signaling pathways.

Objective To campare biomechanical effects of different postural compression techniques on three-dimensional model of lumbar disc herniation(LDH)by finite element analysis.Methods Lumbar CT image of a 48-year-old female patient with LDH(heighted 163 cm,weighted 53 kg)was collected.Mimics 20.0,Geomagic Studio,Solidwords and other software were used to establish three-dimensional finite element model of LDH on L4,5 segments.Compression techniques under horizon-tal position,30° forward bending and 10° backward extension were simulated respectively.After applying the pressure,the ef-fects of compression techniques under different positions on stress,strain and displacement of various tissues of intervertebral disc and nerve root were observed.Results L4,5 segment finite element model was successfully established,and the model was validated.When compression manipulation was performed on the horizontal position,30° flexion and 10° extension,the annular stress were 0.732,5.929,1.286 MPa,the nucleus pulposus stress were 0.190,1.527,0.295 MPa,and the annular strain were 0.097,0.922 and 0.424,the strain sizes of nucleus pulposus were 0.153,1.222 and 0.282,respectively.The overall displace-ment distance of intervertebral disc on Y direction were-3.707,-18.990,-4.171 mm,and displacement distance of nerve root on Y direction were+7.836,+5.341,+3.859 mm,respectively.The relative displacement distances of nerve root and interverte-bral disc on Y direction were 11.543,24.331 and 8.030 mm,respectively.Conclusion Compression manipulation could make herniated intervertebral disc produce contraction and retraction trend,by increasing the distance between herniated interverte-bral disc and nerve root,to reduce symptoms of nerve compression,to achieve purpose of treatment for patients with LDH,in which the compression manipulation is more effective when the forward flexion is 30°.